Category Archives: Photos

Mayor Bill de Blasio wrapped up his reelection campaign with an election eve appearance on Fordham Road in the Bronx. In his final appearance before election day the mayor greeted passersby for about 40 minutes Monday evening, shaking hands, hugging and posing for pictures with the steady flow of well-wishers who lined up for a moment with the mayor. de Blasio was joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who is also up for reelection.

Heavily favored to win according to public polls, de Blasio appeared relaxed and enjoying himself and extended his stay when staff first tried to bring the meet & greet to a close. His greetings as people moved in for their photo included an ever-present request that they vote for him Tuesday, with Diaz periodically chiming in “vote for the D’s, de Blasio & Diaz.”

The NYPD dedicated a plaque to the memory of Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo Saturday, drawing Sergeant Tuozzolo’s wife Lisa, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner James O’Neill and several hundred other guests to the 43rd Precinct in Soundview. It was exactly one year since Tuozzolo was killed in the line of duty, as he and his colleagues sought to apprehend an armed man who had repeatedly violently attacked his wife.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders rode the subway today, with riders in a packed but welcoming car calling out support for Sanders. Their destination was a press conference at the Fulton Street station voicing support for a “fair fares” initiative. They also appeared together tonight at a de Blasio campaign rally.

He’s been dead more than 500 years, so there are some logistical issues, but Christopher Columbus has had a significant role in the 2017 mayoral race. He did not actually endorse Nicole Malliotakis for mayor, but his influence was felt in some endorsements that Malliotakis received from former New York State senator Serph Maltese and a group of Italian-American civic leaders Tuesday in Middle Village. In a twist Malliotakis, the only one of the four top mayoral candidates without any Italian ancestry, declared that “a vote for Columbus is a vote for Malliotakis.” (Bill de Blasio and Bo Dietl each have an Italian father and German mother, while Sal Albanese was born in Calabria and came to the U.S. at the age of 8.)

Republican/Conservative mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis visited Chinatown Thursday afternoon, working the lunch crowd at a large restaurant, visiting a Buddhist temple, an American Legion post and the Lin Sing Association in a 90 minute visit. Malliotakis also did two separate press Q&A sessions, briefly outside the Joy Luck Palace restaurant on Mott Street and a lengthier session at the Lin Sing Association.

Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis attended a Bronx Republican Party rally Saturday, giving a pep talk to about 50 supporters at Bronx County Republican headquarters in Pelham Bay. Republican public advocate candidate J.C. Polanco and city council candidates John Cerini, Patrick Delices and Daby Carreras also participated in the rally.

Malliotakis’ presentation was almost entirely a criticism of Mayor de Blasio, beginning with a rallying cry question of whether “Bronx is ready to make Bill de Blasio a one term mayor” and ending with a harsh critique of de Blasio’s July trip to Germany the day after NYPD officer Miosotis Familia was assassinated. Characterizing New York City as a place where “everything is deteriorating” Malliotakis touched on familiar complaints: that property taxes and water bills have increased, that sex crimes have increased, that the Department of Education spends enormous amounts of money yet produces many under-prepared students while charter schools are neglected, the mentally ill are insufficiently helped by the City and the homeless are insufficiently assisted while the City spends enormously on a plan to build 90 new shelters.

Bingo was over and the seniors heading home when mayoral candidate Bo Dietl arrived at Staten Island’s Arrochar Friendship Club, but he still had a winning visit. Dietl arrived well past his scheduled 1:00 visit Wednesday. That would have come mid-bingo, when the room was full, but a delayed Dietl appeared after most of the players had left. He swirled through the remaining 25 or so, catching some for a handshake as they boarded a bus or made their way toward their car and chatting with a few lingering inside.

Dietl was warmly greeted, recognized by most. Many offered support and promises to vote for him. Little mention was made of rival candidate Nicole Malliotakis, who represents the neighborhood in the state assembly. In conversations with a few attendees they spoke nicely about Malliotakis, but didn’t express an intention to vote for her over Dietl in November.

Governor Andrew Cuomo joined the September 11th Memorial Ride yesterday, leading the last segment of a motorcycle ride commemorating the people killed in the September 11th attacks. That final segment retraces the route of the FDNY’s Rescue Company 1 that dark day from their West 43rd Street quarters to the World Trade Center, where 11 of their members perished. Approximately 500 riders joined in, with many coming in three large groups from Albany, Ulster and Nassau counties.

Cuomo headlined a pre-ride lunch at the Javits Center, joined by Robert De Niro.

Labor leaders and the politicians who court them marched up Fifth Avenue today, leading the Labor Day Parade. Virtually all senior members of New York City’s organized labor movement attended, including Mario Cilento (president of the NYS AFL-CIO), Gary LaBarbera (president of the Buildings & Trades Council), Vinnie Alvarez (president of the NYC Central Labor Council), Mike Mulgrew (president of the United Federation of Teachers), Randi Weingarten (president of the American Federation of Teachers), George Miranda (president of Teamsters Joint Council 16), Stuart Appelbaum (president of RWDSU), George Gresham (president of 1199) and Grand Marshall Edgar Romney of Workers Unite. Politicians marching included Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Republican/Conservative mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis also made a brief appearance.

It was smiles and jabs as mayoral candidates Bo Dietl and Nicole Malliotakis crossed paths tonight in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park. The candidates were there to work the crowd at Italian Night, a concert drawing several hundred people. There’s been some significant long-distance friction between them recently as Republican leaders quashed Dietl’s final effort at getting a Wilson-Pakula and running in the Republican primary.

They smiled for the camera (singular, as I was the only reporter there), with some forced joviality smoothing the light jabs they each tossed toward the other. Dietl sought to claim the turf immediately, declaring “this is Italian, this ain’t Greek, this is my neighborhood” as he walked up to Malliotakis. They didn’t shake hands, much less hug, with Malliotakis’ hand on Dietl’s shoulder the only greeting gesture. “Are you gonna be nice to me now Bo, I heard you’re calling me names on Curtis Sliwa” said Malliotakis. Dietl offered that when he becomes mayor “I want you to help me … cause Staten Island needs a lot of help.” Malliotakis quickly countered that when she becomes mayor “I will not make you my police commissioner.” (Dietl retorted “I’ve been offered that already by your friend Malpass.”)

Their sparring over, Malliotakis introduced herself to a couple of parks workers in a truck as she and Dietl began walking. As Malliotakis continued walking Dietl stopped to talk to those workers, soon calling out to the departing Malliotakis “they’re with me, they’re with me … they love the Bo man.”

The Travis 4th of July Parade drew mayoral rivals Bill de Blasio and Nicole Malliotakis together Tuesday, as they attended the annual event in the Staten Island neighborhood of Travis. Mayor de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer were the two off-Island electeds participating, while Assembly Member Malliotakis was one of many Staten Island elected participating. Others included Borough President Jimmy Oddo, NYS Senator Diane Savino, Assembly Members Michael Cusick (also the parade Grand Marshal), Ron Castorina and Matt Titone, City Council Members Steve Matteo and Debi Rose and Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner also attended. Continue reading Travis Parade→

The sun was shining, the crowds were cheering and the politicians waving as New York City’s annual Pride March was held Sunday. Once a small protest on the political fringe, the Pride March is now decidedly in the mainstream of New York politics. This year’s edition featured many elected officials and candidates, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Chuck Schumer and mayoral candidates Paul Massey and Bo Dietl.

“Mama” Jean DeVente, organizer of the first gay pride parade in NYC and a leading activist since Stonewall, rides with the Stonewall Veterans.

It was a regular Cuomo/de Blasio affair, with the two leading Democrats arriving separately and taking pains to avoid each other. Governor Cuomo delayed his arrival until the March began, rolling up 34th Street in his SUV to the parade route just as his marching contingent came down Fifth Avenue to 34th. Cuomo then held a brief press Q&A as his contingent stood still, blocking the parade route for Mayor de Blasio and the rest of the March.

Sunday’s Puerto Rican Day Parade featured many elected officials, although some elected and appointed officials skipped the parade in reaction to the parade honoring Oscar Lopez Rivera. Mayor Bill de Blasio marched in the parade, but appeared to make significant effort at avoiding Lopez Rivera, skipping the opening ribbon cutting and instead arriving after Lopez Rivera had joined the parade. Continue reading Photo Gallery: Puerto Rican Day Parade→